#wsne

Emily smiles and exchanges a knowing look with Allison. Her friend holds a sleeping baby to her chest - their third, just five months old- and balances a beer bottle in the other. She’d always been an efficient multi-tasker. “I’ll go this time.” Emily checks to make sure Leo is still sleeping peacefully on the blanket under the massive umbrella, relieved he wasn’t woken by Nora’s enthusiasm. “You went last time.”

“Thanks,” Allison sighs with relief, shifts the baby on her chest. “Send Jude up here if you can.” She already has a bottle of sunscreen in her free hand. “He’s going to fight me on this sunscreen. I just know it.”

Nora meets her closer to the waves, dragging her by the hand to where Aaron and Shane are hard at work, surrounded by even more beach toys. They’re also covered in sand, exchanging laughs as they work. In the forty five minutes they’ve been gone, they’ve managed to construct one of the biggest sand castles Emily has ever seen, much to Nora’s delight. Shane and Allison’s daughter Harper is persistently asking Shane to make the towers taller, and Shane obliges, his mild annoyance overpowered with adoration for her. Nora chatters on about princesses and dragons, which princess lives in which tower, how much they have left to build. It’s a chaotic mess, but a sight that makes Emily’s heart swell with joy. Family vacations were the one luxury she never experienced as a child. It isn’t their first trip, but one they desperately needed, one full of memories she’ll hold dear.

“Look, Mommy! Daddy even made a moat around the castle.” Nora points to it - it’s already been lined with shells, undoubtedly from the massive collection she’s accumulated in the last few days of vacation. Some big, others small, but all carefully selected from her high standards.

“How do we break it to her that she can’t take home all five buckets of shells?” Aaron had asked Emily the day before.

“You’ll just have to win her a stuffed animal at the amusement park,” Emily had quipped in response. “She saw an elephant there the other night. Trust me she hasn’t forgotten about it.”

“You know who else doesn’t forget a thing?” Aaron had murmured, lovingly bumping his hip into Emily’s. “She learned from you.”

Emily appeases her daughter, allowing Nora to pull her in a circle around the castle. She points out every tower, every detail, and for a moment it’s like looking at a younger version of herself. She winks at Aaron, who heaves another shovel full of sand to begin the much anticipated second layer of the castle. It’s a stark contrast from his usual every day suit, to see him in dark blue swim trunks and nothing else, the muscles in his shoulders and back flexing with each dig. The kid-sized shovel looks miniature in his hands. “Working hard I see?”

“You have no idea.” Aaron winks back, a smile breaking on his face when he sees his wife. He told her earlier that morning, but he’s fairly certain vacation-mode Emily might be his favorite - hair in a loose bun at the nape of her neck, the sleek black swimsuit hugging her body, not a trace of makeup on her face. “Grab a shovel,” he jokes. “Start helping.”

“In your dreams.” Emily brushes some sand from his shoulders, his hair. “Daddy looks like he needs a break. Uncle Shane too.” Emily laughs as Shane starts corralling Harper and Jude, swinging each of them into his arms towards their chairs.

“Daddy definitely needs a break,” Aaron pulls himself to his feet, wiping sand from his hands. “Let’s get a snack, Nora. Ask Uncle Shane to help you find the goldfish. And don’t wake your brother from his nap.”

“Okay, Daddy!” She beams, and runs off with beach toys in each hand. “Uncle Shane! Can you help me find the goldfish?!”

“She’s definitely going to wake Leo,” Emily says softly as Aaron wraps an arm around her waist.  “She’s always had a knack for that.” They’re close enough to the ocean that waves lap softly at their ankles, the water cold. She jumps a little; Aaron tightens his grip around her. “Where’s Jack?”

“He met a bunch of kids playing paddle ball a little while ago. They’re in the ocean now.” Aaron points out their son right before a huge wave crashes over his head, sending him under.  “I’m keeping an eye on him.”

“He’s having fun.” Emily smiles, rests her head against Aaron’s bare shoulder. “You are covered in sand, you know.”

“Oh, trust me, I know. It’s everywhere.” He kisses her, quick and discreet, then takes her hand.

“You’re the one who insisted on a beach vacation. It’s going to be everywhere for weeks, you know.” Emily sighs, breathing in the scent of him. A mix of sunscreen and salty sea air. Even slightly disheveled, she’s never loved him more than she does right then.

“Worth it though, right?” He squeezes her hand, pulls her against him. “Look how happy they are.” He gestures to their children - Nora and Leo, now awake, happily sitting on a beach blanket with Harper and Jude - and then Jack, laughing and carefree.

“Absolutely.” Emily follows his gaze around. Every once in a while, she wonders just how she ever got this lucky. Even years later, she sometimes has to stop and take it all in - how far they’ve come, how much they’ve been through. “Just maybe next time a bit less sandy.”

Aaron is about to answer before a familiar voice interrupts them yet again - Nora, ever insistent, barreling towards them with an entirely different set of sand toys in her hands. “Daddy! You said we’d finish the castle after my snack!”

Aaron presses a kiss to Emily’s cheek, smiling apologetically as he turns toward their daughter, lifts her into his arms and tosses her in the air, sand flying everywhere. Emily looks away out of habit, even though she knows Aaron will catch her every time. “I did?”

“Put me down, Daddy! It’s castle time!” Nora giggles, her face lit up with joy. “You promised!”

“I did, honey. You’re right.” He sets Nora down on both feet. “Go get us started. Pick the shells you want for the next part. I’ll be right there.” They both watch her run away, only speaking once she’s out of earshot.

“You’re in high demand,” Emily smirks with amusement. “Glad I could steal you away for a few minutes.”

Aaron laughs, low into her ear, draws her in with a hand on her back. “I have a few plans for you and me later, sweetheart.” He holds her just a few seconds longer, his eyes dark and full of want. “Just the two of us.”

Emily’s eyes sparkle, another smile twisting on her lips. “Care to share?” She murmurs, digging her nails lightly into his arm.